If We Lost Oscar It Would Be Even Better-Amitabh Bachchan

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Friday said the Oscar awards should not be considered as the “ultimate recognition” for artists, although he was glad that those working behind the scenes were finally getting their due credit.

“You people have taken the Oscar as the best recognition and award,” Bachchan said when asked if there was dearth of good Indian movies as very few had managed to get into an Oscar race.

“They are great in their place and we are so in our place. It is not that Oscar awards are the ultimate recognition,” he told an audience during the release of the book “Bachchanalia” at the Jaipur Literature Festival here.

“Oscar has its own place…we do not disrespect it…. If they wish to give us an Oscar they can do it…if not, it would be even better,” he said.

India cinema has always stood first, stands first, is the best, Oscar has its own place,” Bachchan said at the interaction.

However, he added he was happy that the artists who were working behind the scenes were finally getting their due recognition, also emphasizing the nomination of sound director Rasool Pookutty for an Oscar was also important, besides that of Rahman and Gulzar.

“It is encouraging when we see that the media, which conducts the film award ceremonies in India has started recognizing the worth of background artists. Rasool, a sound engineer from India being nominated for the Oscar awards is definitely wonderful news and makes me terribly happy for him,” Bachchan said.

“Moreover, I hope that Rahman, who has already done India immensely proud brings back a second Oscar to the country,” he said, a day after Indians bagged six Oscar nominations

The 66-year-old legendary actor also chose to clarify his remarks over Danny Boyle`s film Slumdog Millionaire that bagged 10 Oscar nominations.

Bachchan said he believed the film was an artist`s creative presentation and everyone had the right of expression. He clarified he had not in his blog said the film was negative in depicting the poverty of India.

“The words (criticizing the film) were not mine. In fact, in my blog I had analyzed some comments on the film put on my blog by the readers. I have since then spoken to both Anil Kapoor and Danny Boyle and clarified my position,” Bachchan said.

On why he did not attend a nomination function despite an invite from Anil Kapoor, he said he was busy and conveyed his good wishes and congratulations to entire team of Slumdog Millionaire.

Asked whether Indian movies were fulfilling the aspirations of viewers and reviewers abroad, Bachchan said he was very happy as Indian films were catering to amount 2.5 billion people. “Look at cinema from the beginning, 50-70 years ago, it was not well respected…no one wanted to join the film line then, now Indian cinema has grown tremendously, enveloped all of us.

Katy Perry 'would rather die than abstain from sex'

Popstar Kate Perry has laughed off reports suggesting that she's planning a vow of celibacy for 2009.

Instead, the babe insisted that she would rather die than abstain from sex.

The Naturally hitmaker, who split from Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy in December (08), had announced plans to remain celibate, saying "I've actually taken a vow of celibacy this year? No kissing anyone. Just my cat, Kitty Purry," reports The Daily Express.

However, now Katy stated that the comment was a joke and was not meant to be taken seriously.

"I am not going to be celibate. That was a joke, and any fine journalist would have got that. Please, celibacy for the whole year? I'd rather die.?" Katy told People.com

Source:internet

Sun Pictures likely to bag ‘Ninaithalae Inikkum’

Looks like they would be the only producer in town for the coming ages, as there are no mainstream producers in town. Fine! Don’t assume Sun Pictures to be the most successful producers churning out quality films. Their tactics are about bagging rights of the underrated flicks and promoting them in such an extent that they reach the masses all throughout the World.

After taking on with ‘Ayan’, discussions are going on between them to get the rights of ‘Ninaithalae Inikkum’ starring Prithviraj, Karthik, Sakthi and Priyamani in lead roles. The film is about cherishing moments of youngsters’ lives in college, theirs joy, pain, love and friendship. Of course, there’s something more than these attributes for the film is based on a suspense-mystery.

Valkyrie director Bryan Singer praises Tom Cruise

VALKYRIE'S director Bryan Singer acknowledges that his leading man Tom Cruise will always draw attention, but he says he has nothing but praise for the A-lister.
He might be best known for comic-book movies X-Men and Superman Returns, but Bryan Singer has been preparing to make an historical thriller such as Valkyrie ever since he was a child.

The director spent his school holidays making 8mm war movies in the back yard with his friend Christopher McQuarrie (who went on to write Singer's breakout hit, The Usual Suspects).

‘‘One summer he got into a little trouble and he had curfew,'' Singer recalls.

‘‘He wasn't allowed to leave the house at night so I would come over and we started writing
projects together.''

Looking back, Singer says he can see little evidence of nascent talent in the films they made at the time.

‘‘I just see kids who were very committed,'' he says. ‘‘And who were very risky with fireworks. We put them very close to our actors, who were the neighbourhood kids. Perhaps I'd not be so risky with people's safety these days.''

Now that Singer is directing A-list stars such as Tom Cruise in his war movies, the insurance guarantors would be making sure of this.

Still, Singer admits his lead actor, a very competent pilot, did take one of the 70-year-old planes used during the production of Valkyrie for a whirl.

Perhaps harking back to his boyhood roots, the filmmaker chose to use real planes, including vintage Junkers and Messerschmitts, and real explosions, instead of relying on visual effects.

‘‘It's hard to do make that stuff look real without really doing it,'' he says.

Valkyrie is based on the true story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a German officer who led a 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler.

The only computer-generated images in the film are those relating to von Stauffenberg's injuries -- he lost an eye, a hand and two fingers in battle.

The filmmakers copped flak for an early publicity shot that featured a heroic-looking Cruise in full uniform.

‘‘Someone said to me ‘Do you think the eye patch is a bit much?' '' Singer recalls.

‘‘I said ‘What am I supposed to do? That's what the guy looked like. He was missing his hand and two fingers on the other hand. Do I ignore that piece of history, too? Why not have him just kill Hitler while we're at it.' ''

Singer made a decision very early in the piece to stick closely to the facts.

‘‘When I got to Germany, I felt more compelled -- mostly for the sake of the German audiences who actually know the story and are very familiar with it -- to make the film as accurate as was humanly possible,'' he says.

Far from casting von Stauffenberg as a romantic war hero, Singer toned down some of his more macho moments.

‘‘There were things I actually left out because I knew people would think we were making them up,'' he says.

‘‘For example, when von Stauffenberg was injured, he refused any morphine and he did that very specifically because he didn't want to be addicted -- he needed to be focused, he needed to re-learn how to write. He needed to get back to work.

‘‘But imagine Tom Cruise saying ‘No morphine!' People would think it's a contrivance.''

Cruise's religious beliefs generated more criticism. In 2007, German officials spoke out against Scientology and initially refused to allow filming in Berlin's historic Bendlerblock building complex.

But Singer didn't pay the bad press and negative rumours too much attention.

‘‘You have to realise that I went through a period of extraordinary scepticism when I made the first X-Men movie. There hadn't been a comic-book film in a long time. I was not a comic-book fan . . .

‘‘So this was not unusual territory for me. Here was just a much more magnified version, because everything associated with Tom Cruise tends to get magnified.''

The public mood has now shifted and Valkyrie is being credited with spearheading Cruise's rehabilitation.

‘‘There has been a situation where his fame, his personality, has gone a little haywire, through no fault of his own. And people have reacted to that,'' Singer says.

‘‘Then they see him in a movie and they say ‘Oh yeah, I forgot, I like Tom Cruise'.

‘‘People have invested a lot in Tom as an actor, and as a character, in his movies, his choices, his performances.''

Singer also reckons the actor was a surprisingly good fit for the role.

‘‘Von Stauffenberg was very much a bright light among his fellow officers. There was a kind of energised, unique quality about him that Tom has as a person and an actor. And the physical resemblance is extraordinary.''

Like many Jews, Singer admits to a strange obsession with Nazi Germany.

‘‘I lost a huge portion of the history of my family. My mother's side is Russian and my father's is Polish,'' he says.

‘‘It's also important to remind people that in every army there are people who don't agree. And in the case of Nazi Germany, more than people realised.''

Eva Mendes crowned "most desirable" Woman

Hollywood actress Eva Mendes has been named the Most Desirable Woman in the world by a new online survey by AskMen.com.“The Hitch” star topped a poll of more than seven million people beating the likes of beauties Scarlett Johansson and Rihanna, who could only manage the seventh and eight place respectively, reports contactmusic.com.

Mendes also left behind model-turned-actress Megan Fox, who was crowned last year’s Sexiest Woman In The World by FHM magazine.

Aishwarya Rai in the `Top 50 Most Desirable Woman in the World` list

Her acting skills might have been a topic of much debate but when it comes to her beautiful frame and drop dead gorgeous looks Aishwarya Rai leaves many behind. The actress who has time and again bagged praises from the who’s who of the entertainment industry has now left some of the most striking Hollywood babes behind in terms of looks.

The Bachchan bahu, has once again made her family proud, as she has made it to the `Top 50 Most Desirable Woman in the World`` list. A annual survey by a leading men’s portal AskMen.com poll asked it’s readers to select their ideal mate based on `intelligence, charisma and ambition` and Aishwarya Rai had many vouching for her.

Scoring over uber hot supermodel Karolina Kurkova and bootylicious singer Beyonce, Aishwarya Rai bagged the 48th position in the survey. Topped by Eva Mendez, the poll had top-notch names like Angelina Jolie, Rihanna and Gisele Bundchen fighting for the top position.


The top 50 are:

1 Eva Mendes
2 Megan Fox
3 Marisa Miller
4 Keeley Hazell
5 Anne Hathaway
6 Alessandra Ambrosio
7 Scarlett Johansson
8 Rihanna
9 Kristen Bell
10 Kate Beckinsale
11 Heidi Klum
12 Emmanuelle Chriqui
13 Halle Berry
14 Brooke Burke
15 Jessica Alba
16 Jessica Biel
17 Selita Ebanks
18 Monica Bellucci
19 Adriana Lima
20 Cheryl Cole
21 Doutzen Kroes
22 Evangeline Lilly
23 Lucy Pinder
24 Bianca Beauchamp
25 Penelope Cruz
26 Charlize Theron
27 Mila Kunis
28 Gisele Bundchen
29 Keira Knightley
30 Olga Kurylenko
31 Isla Fisher
32 Misa Campo
33 Denise Milani
34 Bar Refaeli
35 Christina Aguilera
36 Summer Glau
37 Layla Kayleigh
38 Katy Perry
39 Stacy Keibler
40 Odette Yustman
41 Hayden Panettiere
42 Angelina Jolie
43 Zoe Saldana
44 Sara Varone
45 Eva Longoria
46 Miranda Kerr
47 Carrie Underwood
48 Aishwarya Rai
49 Karolina Kurkova
50 Beyonce

Actress NAINA Hot Stills

Aamir's new look in 3 Idiots

If there is one actor in Bollywood who works hard on his look for each of his movies it has to be Aamir Khan. Be it growing beard and hair for Mangal Pandey The Rising or building up eight pack abs for Ghajini Aamir has done it all. The perfectionist actor will soon be seen in a completely new look in Raj Kumar Hirani's 3 Idiots based on Chetan Bhagat's book Five Point Someone.

Aamir who plays a student in the movie has shed around 8 kgs to look lean and young. He said it it was very challenging to put on weight for a movie and shed it for the next. Interestingly Aami's character in the movie draws inspiration from the real life of Ghajini director A R Murugadoss. Aamir added that being an actor, his body was his instrument and he had to change his appearance for new roles. No wonder he is called the perfectionist actor in B Town.

Vivek to do small screen serial

‘When Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh did it, why should I be an exception?’ says Actor Vivek who is reported to have shored himself on small screens. Recently, with Vivek getting flooded with more offers, he had eventually hiked his remuneration for which producers are unable to meet the ends. Likely, they have started looking forward for young and new comedy actors. With no choices left, Vivek approached a small screen series producer and discussed about launching a TV series based on the genre of comedy.

Finally, it’s a green signal for the actor who has started penning script for the show and soon official announcements would be made the producer on which channel it would be telecasted.

“ Kandasamy Movie” in trouble!

Vikram’s Kandasamy is all set to hit the screens worldwide.

Directed by Susi Ganesan, the trailers of this movie are already out in Telugu with the Telugu title as Mallanna

Susi is planning to shoot the final song at the end of this month and will move to the post production work in Chennai EFX studios.

Recently, this film was involved in a controversy as a person Elango had filed a case against the director for copying his film’s song. “Excuse Me Mr. Kandasamy…” is the cause for the trouble as the petition is there in the Madras high court. Elango is demanding a compensation of 1 lakh for copying the lyrics of his song.

Susi is confident that this matter will be solved peacefully and expects that the music of this film will hit the markets by January 31st.

Amy Winehouse voted 'Loser Of The Year'

British singer Amy Winehouse has been crowned Loser Of The Year for the second time.

The 25-year-old singer won the accolade at the Virgin Media Music Awards 2008, which were voted for by nearly three million members of the public, reports Contactmusic.

Leona Lewis scooped the Best UK Act gong, while The Saturdays won the Best New Act title.

Kylie Minogue was named Legend Of The Year, Best Album went to Kings of Leon's Only By The Night and the Best Track title was given to Katy Perry's 'I Kissed A Girl'.

Meanwhile, the gong for Best Hanger On went to US heiress Paris Hilton.

Shahid, Vidya go out on a ‘friendly’ dinner

The two ‘ good friends’, Vidya Balan and Shahid Kapur, were spotted having a long dinner a few days ago and they didn’t seem worried about linkup rumours. Not shying away from the crowd, the duo chatted away happily at a lounge bar in Juhu.

Shahid and Vidya, who have been good friends ever since she gave him comfort during his break-up with Kareena Kapoor, mostly dine with their group of friends. The two are rarely seen without an entourage.

“They stayed away from the media limelight because their link-up publicity during Kismat Konnection had made them uncomfortable. Now that Shahid is single and is not dating Sania Mirza either, they have renewed their friendship,” says a source.

Shilpa Shetty to go bald

Shilpa Shetty’s long and luscious tresses may soon go. Buzz is that she will soon go the Shabana-Nandita way. The two actresses had shaved off their hair for Deepa Mehta’s Water. It’s another matter that ‘Water’ never got made with them. Shilpa Shetty will start shooting for her most challenging role in Malayalam director, R Sarath’s English language film ‘Desire’ this week. Apparently a part of the film requires her to shave off her hair.

When we check with Shilpa Shetty, she laughs and says, “I can’t reveal everything about my role. If I tell you everything now why would you watch the film? But yes, this is by far the most challenging role of my career. It takes me through ten turbulent years of my character’s life. It’s a very intense love story between me and my Chinese co-star, Xia Yu.”

Shilpa Shetty hasn’t met Xia Yu yet. “Our shooting starts this week in Kerala. Then we shoot in Kuala Lampur.” Apparently permission to shoot the film in China was denied.

What Shilpa Shetty really liked about the role is that it allowed her to learn Odissi. “I have been a Bharatnatyam dancer all my life. In ‘Desire’ I play an Odissi dancer, and I had to unlearn everything I knew about the classical dance and start from scratch. It has been quite a daunting experience.”

Shahid's date with Vidya in Mumbai

Shahid Kapoor has been dillydallying with his love life for a while now. After his breakup with Kareena Kapoor, there was a buzz that he was close to Amrita Rao, then Vidya Balan, followed by Sania Mirza and Priyanka Chopra Some said that he was close to Priyanka now but it seems his friendship with Kismet Konnection co-star Vidya Balan is still going strong too.

Shahid was seen with the much mature looking Vidya at Aurus, a Juhu lounge bar in Mumbai recently. When both came to Aurus, the table was already booked on Shahid's name, as he had made the reservation himself.

He was dressed in a brown jacket and dark blue jeans and black shoes. Shahid arrived on his sports bike and Vidya came in her car wearing a yellow suit. The table was away from the common area..

A source has said, "Shahid and Vidya have had been out for dinners in the past but with common friend designer Shabina Khan and others. However, this was the first time they were spotted having dinner all by themselves". It's been said that they ordered dinner with dessert. They didn't seem to be in a rush and stayed on till very late in the night.

The buzz is that Tabu was sitting a few tables away from them. She apparently noticed the duo but did not go to join them. Basically Shahid and Vidya enjoyed each other's company without a care in the world. Post his break up, Shahid sure has been having an interesting love life. We wonder what the next twist is going to be.